Koiji: Love's Pathway
by Ashfae
Summary: It's been a year since the events of the Kyoto Arc, and Misao is frustrated with her life. She goes to Tokyo to visit with the Kenshin-gumi and think about things. But Aoshi follows, and things become even more complicated...
1. Yarikirenai (Unbearable)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter One: Yarikirenai

  


by Ashfae

* * *

_Unbearable._

Misao sat in the window, staring out at the rain and ignoring the occassional drops that hit her skin. Goosebumps were raised on the back of her neck, but she didn't move. Instead she looked up at the sky, which was filled with dark stormclouds and the occasional lightning flash. 

_Absolutely unbearable,_ she decided, scowling. _It's been a year, and...nothing. I'm wasting my time._

She swung her legs back down to the ground, hopping off of the window ledge, then turned to close the shutters. The room was very dark, but Misao had good night vision, and didn't notice. She walked directly to her pallet and sprawled across it, staring up at the shadowed ceiling. 

_A year since I declared myself Okashira. A year since Aoshi-sama came back, and he hasn't said more than a handful of words to me, in all that time. _

He could've at least taken the title back, too. What am I supposed to do with it? 

We used to be friends. Sort of. 

Misao bit her lip, remembering all too clearly how, as a child, she'd followed Aoshi around everywhere, how she'd coerced him into teaching her some of the basics of being an onmitsu. Even then he'd never said much, but he'd watched over her. 

_Now he won't even look at me. And doesn't say anything at all. That settles it: Makimachi Misao, you are an absolute _idiot! 

She sighed. _I'm definitely wasting my time. But what should I be doing? I made myself Okashira, and I've been trying to act like one for the past year...I never really thought it'd be permanent. I was sure Okina would recover and take over, and then when Aoshi returned I thought he'd...hmph. That stupid, stupid, stupid man! Not even Himura could be so infuriating! _

This situation is definitely unbearable. Something's got to be done. But what? 

Misao pursed her lip, thinking. 

_What should I do now?_

An idea came to her, and her eyes widened. Possibilities flickered through her mind, gradually forming themselves into a plan. 

Misao sat up and lit a candle, then found her rarely used supply of paper and ink. After a few more minutes of considering, she began writing furiously. 

Writing the letter took her only a few minutes; a request hastily scrawled in rough calligraphy, signed at the bottom with her name. She blew on the ink, hoping that would help it dry more quickly; now that she had a plan, she wanted to get started as soon as possible. There was nothing Misao hated more than sitting around _waiting_, without anything to do...she wanted to be busy. 

As soon as the ink had tried, she rolled the letter carefully and found one of the little cylinders that all the Oniwabanshuu used for sending messages. She had to roll the letter more tightly before it would fit in the narrow tube, but managed to do it without crinkling the edges _too_ much. It would do. 

She left her room as quietly as she could manage, not wanting to explain to anyone else what she was up to just yet, and went outside. 

The Oniwabanshuu were not limited to Kyoto; there were others in other cities. Even after they'd been officially disbanded (an order that Okina had pretty much ignored), the ties remained. As did the habit of keeping in touch and sharing information, just in case they were ever needed. 

And the easiest way to keep in touch was by carrier pigeons. 

They had a small shed built for the pigeons attached to the rear of the Aoiya; it was easy to get out there without being seen. The birds immediately started cooing loudly as soon as she entered, and Misao winced inwardly. _Be quiet, you dumb birds!_

Determined, she found a pigeon that she knew Okina used for sending messages to a friend of theirs in Tokyo. She managed to attach the cylinder to its foot, and brought it outside with her. She opened her hand, expecting it to fly off immediately. 

It stood calmly on her palm, looking over its shoulder at her quizzically, as thought asking, You're expecting me to fly in this weather? As if to emphasize its point, lightning flashed in the sky. 

Impatient Misao glared at it. _Just get going._

The pigeon hopped a bit and flew off. Towards Tokyo. 

Misao smiled to herself. Rain or no rain, it'd get her message there within two days. They were very well trained. And the person who got the message would be certain to pass it on to its proper recipient. 

Now came the hard part: convincing Jiya. 

***********************

*knock, knock* 

"Yes?" 

Misao steeled herself, then slid open the door to Okina's study. "Jiya," she said quietly. 

Okina looked up at her, a ready smile waiting. It faded as he caught the expression on her face. "Misao-chan, what's-" 

She cut him off ruthlessly. "I'm leaving." 

"WHAT?!" He leapt to his feet, spilling a cup of tea onto the floor. 

She leaned in the doorway, unable to make herself look at him. "I've got to get out of here for a while, Jiya. I've been fooling myself. I'm not strong enough to be the leader of the Oniwabanshuu. You end up doing most of the work, even if I try my best. And..." her eyes filled with tears despite herself. "And...there's Aoshi-sama. He should be the okashira again. He's much, much more skilled than I am. And now that he's...um...back on track again, he can take care of things much better than I can. I'm just in his way. I'd appreciate it if you'd speak to him about that, when he gets back from his trip. He'll listen to you." 

Okina stared at her carefully for a minute. "Is that all?" he asked finally, resuming his seat. 

"No," she said quietly. "I'm a nuisance to him, Jiya. I realize that now. I thought I loved him, but now...I don't know. He doesn't speak to me, he barely ever even looks at me. I don't know him at all anymore. Maybe...maybe I never did." She closed her eyes. "All I ever do is trouble him," she whispered. 

"Misao-chan..." 

Misao opened her eyes, walked over, and calmly knelt before him. "Jiya, I just need some time away from here, to think. Not long ago I went on a journey to search for Aoshi-sama. Now, I need to find myself. Please." 

A long moment of silence passed between them. 

"Misao," he said finally. "You are mistaken about Aoshi. He is _not_ prepared to lead the Oniwabanshuu once more, nor would they accept him easily. Your request that I ask him to take your place is denied." 

Misao opened her mouth to protest, but Okina lifted a hand and continued. "_I_ will watch over the Oniwabanshuu until you return. And please," he smiled at her, "make it soon. Whether you believe it or not, you are their leader now. You have all the loyalty and trust they have. And all of mine." 

Misao threw herself at him and hugged him close. "Thank you, Jiya." Her voice trembled. 

He held her tight. "Goodbye, my pretty little one. I know you'll take care and come back soon." He released her. "Where were you intending to go? Wandering around in the mountains again?" 

"Maybe for a while. But, I thought it would be nice to head down to Tokyo and visit Kaoru-san and Himura and everyone. Kaoru-san sent me a letter a while ago telling me that I was welcome to visit whenever I wanted. I just sent her a note warning her that I was going to take her up on it." 

"Good!" Okina smiled. "I'll worry about you less if you're with Himura. You're right, it would be nice to see them again. I wish I could come with you." 

She shook her head. "Not this time, Jiya. I'll try and convince them to visit us sometime, too, but you know how Himura feels about Kyoto. It'll take some doing." 

"Don't worry about it." He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it. 

Misao nodded brightly. "Uhn!" She squeezed his hand in return, smiling. "Jiya...thank you, for understanding," she said almost shyly. 

He released her hand. "I left home once too, Misao-chan. It happens to everyone eventually. When will you be going?" 

"Now!" 

Okina smiled, as though despite himself. "It's the middle of the night, Misao-chan, and it's raining. At least wait until morning." 

She pouted. "Hmph." 

"One night won't make much difference, Misao. You can leave early in the morning, without any fuss- for once." She grinned at him, knowing full well that he usually was the person making a fuss, and was holding himself back this once. "I'll say goodbye to everyone for you, and explain." 

Her smile faded. "And...Aoshi-sama?" Aoshi had been away on business for over a week; he was not due back for several more days. Part of her wanted to wait, to tell him goodbye, to tell him...what? 

_Aoshi-sama..._

Okina looked at her. "Do you have anything in particular you want me to tell him?" 

Misao shook her head, slowly. _What would I say?_

"Then don't worry about it. I'll take care of Aoshi." 

She nodded again, more soberly this time, and walked out of the room. 

The next morning, she was gone. 

*************************************************

Days later, Aoshi walked into the Aoiya- as calmly as though he had left only hours earlier, instead of two weeks. Okina had been watching for him, and managed to meet him at the foot of the stairs. Without preamble, Aoshi said, "I found what we were looking for. Is Misao here? She asked to see this as soon as it was found." 

"Er, no. You can give it to me; she asked to take care of it. Was there much trouble?" 

"No. I see things have been quiet here." Aoshi pulled several papers out of a hidden pocket in his trenchcoat and reached out to hand them to Okina. 

"Mostly, yes. Misao's gone away for a while," Okina responded. Hearing that, the younger man froze for a moment, then completed his interrupted motion. Okina smiled inwardly as he took the packet of paper. _So, you're not as unruffled as you seem._ "She needed a break. The pressure of being Okashira has been weighing very heavily on her." 

Slowly, Aoshi responded. "I can imagine." He stood silent for a minute. "Where did she go?" 

"Tokyo." 

Aoshi stood silent for a long while, apparently considering this. Okina stroked his beard thoughtfully as he watched his former student. _I made a mistake when I suggested him as the leader of the Oniwabanshuu, years ago,_ he realized regretfully. _He's a skilled fighter and a brilliant tactician, but he was too young. Younger even than Misao is now. He was so determined to do everything perfectly...he locked away all of his emotions, so that they wouldn't interfere with his decisions. He made it impossible for anyone to fault him or his youth. But now, he's paying the price for that, even if he's unaware. Or rather, Misao and I pay it for him. _

I should never have let Misao take on this responsibility. I should never have let her declare herself leader. Maybe...maybe I should never have trained her as a ninja to begin with. She was right to leave. 

"I see," Aoshi said finally, walking past Okina and up the first flight of stairs. 

"Aoshi," Okina said in a quiet voice. The younger man turned slightly. "What are you planning?" 

There was a pause. "Nothing," Aoshi said, and left. 

*************************************************

_Ten-year-old Aoshi waited with the rest of the Oniwabanshuu for someone to come and tell them what was going on. He frowned, bored and impatient with this interruption; he'd been in the middle of an interesting book, and wanted very much to get back to it. What did he care about babies, anyway? From what he remembered of his sister's birth, they were noisy, messy things... _

He bit his lip, suddenly remembering his sister clearly. She'd been just a few years younger than him, and they'd looked very much alike, with sharp features and eyes that changed color with their moods. But where his eyes drifted between light grey and icy blue, hers had been the color of the ocean...a tempestuous shade of blue-green. 

Until the day she'd died, murdered by the same pirates that had killed his parents, and the light in her eyes had faded to black... 

Aoshi jumped slightly, startled, when Okina opened the door and grinned at all of them. "It's a girl!" 

"Good!" one of the female Oniwabanshuu laughed. "Another one for our side! Let's see her!" One by one, everyone crowded into the small room, Aoshi reluctantly following behind. 

Makimachi Kimiko rested quietly on a futon, holding the newborn in her arms with a look of satisfaction on her face. Her father- the current Okashira, and Aoshi's idol- stood next to her, smiling. He walked away to talk to Okina and the other men while all the female Oniwabanshuu oohed and aahed over the new baby. 

Aoshi was wondering how on earth he could get out of the situation when Kimiko noticed him standing in the background. Her eyes twinkled. "Aoshi, come here and hold her for a minute. My arms are getting tired." 

Aoshi scowled, but couldn't say no to his master's daughter. Grudgingly, he walked over and held out his arms for the baby. Kimiko handed the child to him carefully. 

Aoshi looked down at the bundle in his arms with something very close to distaste. Then, the baby yawned and opened her eyes, and he saw with a shock that they were a bright, clear blue, like the ocean on a calm day...much like his sister's had been. 

The baby wrinkled her nose at him, and slowly, a hint of a smile touched Aoshi's lips. The baby laughed in immediate response, waving her arms up at him. He held her a bit closer, almost unconsciously, and the smile grew. 

"I think she likes you," Kimiko said, smiling herself as she watched them. 

"I think...I like her," Aoshi said quietly, realizing that it was true. He glanced up at the mother. "What are you going to name her?" 

"We hadn't decided yet. Do you have any ideas?" 

"What about..." he swallowed hard over the lump that rose in his throat. "Misao?" 

Kimiko pursed her lips for a moment, considering this. "Makimachi Misao," she said quietly, and smiled once more. "I like the sound of that." 

"It was my sister's name," Aoshi said, staring deep into those small, bright eyes. 

"Then we'll remember your sister with honor," Kimiko grinned. "Let me speak to my husband; I think he'll consent to it." 

"Thank you," Aoshi whispered. 

Baby Misao laughed again, in that gurgling way that babies have, and almost seemed to clap her hands with glee. Aoshi decided then and there that he'd do whatever it took to keep those eyes as lit up as they were now. 

***********************

Aoshi shook off the memories of long ago. He stared at the floor for a few more minutes, contemplating. 

Then he got to his feet, and picked up his trenchcoat from where it rested. 

* * *

I hid a bad pun in there. The word "misao" can be written to mean honor or faith. Sorry; couldn't help myself. *gryn* 

Yarikirenai: Unbearable. In case you weren't able to guess. ;)   
Koiji: Love's pathway, or the road to love.   
onmitsu: Ninja, roughly. (best approximation to what the Oniwabanshuu are/do that I've heard)   
okashira: the leader of a smallish group of warriors 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	2. Sagasu (Seeking)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter Two: Sagasu

  


by Ashfae

* * *

Firelight flickered on the ground at Aoshi's feet. He sat cross-legged beside the fire, staring deep into the flames and trying not to think about what he was doing in the woods on the road between Kyoto and Tokyo. 

He wasn't entirely sure why he was following her. Initially, he'd told himself that it was his duty to watch Misao- something he owed to his former master, to his sister's memory, and to the child he had known for so many years. But deep down, he knew these were excuses. Misao was old enough to take care of herself; she didn't need his protection. 

That same part of him said that the reason he was following was because she had taken all her laughter with her when she left. Being a person of depth and darkness he usually avoided such bright people, but... 

...there was something about Misao...her straight-forwardness, her determination, her easy laughter...there was something that drew him, as almost nothing else ever had. In truth, he was following because he couldn't imagine not doing so. Once he had wandered with his comrades, looking for work. Once he had searched for the Battousai, seeking a title and his own death. Both of those had been choices consciously made, with full awareness of the consequences. 

Now, he followed because he was compelled. He chose not to think about that. Misao had left, and he was trailing her. The reasons were not important; only the chase itself mattered. 

The whys of it he could consider afterwards, when he'd found her... 

*************************************************

"Hey, that hurts!" 

"That's because you keep- ngh!- fidgeting, Misao-chan! If you'd just hold still, I wouldn't pull your hair like that!" 

Misao tried to keep from moving, but every so often she'd twitch involuntarily. "Really, Kaoru-san, I can't remember the last time anyone brushed my hair for me..." 

"I wonder if you can remember the last time it was brushed at all," Kaoru responded wryly. "I've never _seen_ such a mess of tangles. How long have you had it in this braid?" 

"Ummm..." Misao thought for a moment, trying to remember and coming up blank. 

"See? No wonder this is so difficult. Stop moving, Misao-chan! I'm almost finished." 

"_How_ did I get talked into this?" 

Kaoru poked at the younger girls' shoulder and grinned, then began deftly pulling the now-untangled hair into an arrangement on top of Misao's head. "You lost that bet with Sanosuke, remember? Serves the two of you right for gambling in _my_ dojo!" 

"I can't believe that rooster won," Misao grumbles. "He _never_ wins!" She was silent for a minute, distracted by the odd sensation of having her hair tied up. There was a pause, and then her hair fell back over her shoulders. A ribbon brushed against her neck as Kaoru pulled it back into a low ponytail, trying a different style. "I can't believe he'd make me do _this_ for a forfeit, either!" 

"It'll do you good to get out of your usual outfit for a day. It's indecent to show that much of your leg in public!" 

"It's impossible to fight in a kimono!" 

Kaoru bapped her on the head. "It's not impossible, just difficult; I've done it once or twice. Besides, you're here for a vacation, right? It won't hurt you to dress up just this once." 

Misao sighed. "Hai, hai. But I'm keeping my sandles." 

"Certainly not. The deal was that you dress like a proper Japanese girl for a day, and not like an onmitsu; that includes the shoes." Kaoru took a step back to admire her handiwork. She smiled and nodded to herself. "Good. Come; it's time to show off all my hard work. And then we can all go out for lunch!" 

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Misao said petulantly. "I'll never live it down if everyone back at the Aoiya finds out. Did you drug my breakfast or something? Or loan Sano weighted dice? Admit it- you're enjoying this!" 

Kaoru laughed, and led the younger girl through the door and onto the porch, where several people were waiting. At the sound of footsteps, they all turned to witness the results of Kaoru's handiwork. Sano and Yahiko's eyes went wide. Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan clapped their hands and cheered. Kenshin, being Kenshin, merely smiled. 

Misao was dressed in a blue kimono, borrowed from Kaoru for the day. Her hair had been pulled away from her face and tied with a ribbon, but was left to fall lossely down her back. Freed of its braid, the dark strands reached past her knees. She was beautiful. 

She was also blushing furiously. "I feel really silly, Kaoru." 

"Don't be ridiculous, Misao," the older girl smiled, pushing Misao forward into the sunlight. "You look wonderful." 

Misao grumbled something under her breath, and Kaoru laughed again. 

Sanosuke- who had been holding his breath- let out a low whistle. "Geez, who would ever've figured that the weasel girl was a princess in disguise? Pretty impressive, Jou-chan. Why don't you ever look that good?" 

Kaoru scowled and tried to hit him on the head. "Ooooh...Sano!!!" 

Sanosuke dodged her easily, grinning, and appeared beside Misao. "So, pretty one," he said, gracing her with a wink. "Will you permit this humble gangster to escort you to lunch?" 

"Humble, Sanosuke? _You_?" Misao laughed, but took the arm he offered. "That I could never believe." 

"If you're good, why hide it?" Sano grinned. 

"And I suppose that's why you have 'evil' written on the back of your shirt?" she retorted. 

He laughed. "C'mon, pretty. If Jou-chan loans me money, I'll buy you lunch." 

"Hey!!!" Kaoru protested from behind them, while everyone laughed. 

Kenshin stood up, smiling beatifically. "Where shall we go?" 

Kaoru Looked at him. "Where do we ever go?" 

Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan jumped up and down, shouting. "Akabeko! Akabeko!" 

"The Akabeko it is! Let's GO!" 

Misao was all but dragged along with the crowd of screaming Akabeko fans, a little dazed. _This isn't quite what I had in mind for a vacation..._ she thought, grinning. _But it's fun!_

*************************************************

Tokyo. 

So like Kyoto, and still so different...just as busy and industrious, but there was a tension missing. All of Kyoto remembered the bloodshed that had taken place there ten years previous; the city still bore the scars of civil war. As did its people. Tokyo felt untouched by comparison. 

Aoshi mused. It was strange to be back...his memories of Tokyo were bittersweet, at best. He and his companions had lived here for some time, working for Kanryu. Memories of them filled his head; he shook the images off with determination. This was not the time...he had mourned enough, and done enough damage by it. 

At that moment he caught a glimpse of the woman whose dojo Himura stayed at; the distraction was welcome. Kamiya Kaoru...that was her name. She was standing just outside of the entrance to a restruant, talking with a woman who was ostensibly the owner and laughing. Aoshi blended into the shadows automatically, waiting and watching. 

Sure enough, Kamiya was followed quickly by Himura, and he by the boy and two much younger girls. The gangster, Sagara, followed, chewing on a fish bone and talking to someone behind him. 

Then Misao appeared, and Aoshi's eyes widened with surprise. 

She was wearing a light-blue kimono with butterflies etched in silver and violet threads on the sides. He'd never seen her in a kimono before. But even more astonishing, her hair was loose from its customary, practical braid, and fell in shimmering waves to her knees. He'd never realized before how long it was. She looked beautiful, but completely unlike her normal self. Much, much older and more mature. It was unnerving. 

Even more unnerving was the fact that she seemed entirely at ease, dressed like that- acting as though she were a normal girl, and not one of the Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu. As though she hadn't come to him at age four and ordered him to show her how to use a sword, and pestered him until he and Hannya had started training her in kenpo... 

No, it was still there, after all. She walked with an unconscious grace, a silence. When she was still a child he'd spent months teaching her how to move quietly, for spying. And also, he'd hoped, so that she'd be able to sneak away from any conflicts, and not get in trouble. Small hope- where Misao didn't find trouble, she tended to make her own. But he'd trained her well; even now, in bright sunlight and among friends she trusted, that unconscious awareness of her surroundings remained. And every so often her hand would twitch, as though searching for a weapon that wasn't nearby. The ninja girl was still there, hiding under the silk and long hair. 

All at once Aoshi was surprised by the turn his thoughts had taken. Wasn't this what he had wanted, what he had tried to encourage her to do? The life of an onmitsu was not easy. He had never wanted to teach her their ways to begin with, and had done so only because she had constantly pestered him. And perhaps because it had seemed a harmless thing to teach a feisty little kid the basics of how to be a ninja. He'd never dreamed she'd take it as seriously as she had...and she'd learned quickly, he had to admit. Like a fish taking to water. 

But if he'd known, back then, that she'd take everything she learned and make it her life...that it'd become important enough to her that she would declare herself Okashira, and set out to earn the name and the loyalty of the rest of the Oniwabanshuu with a determination that put him to shame...that she'd be so unlike other girls her age...he would never have let it happen. Nor, he suspected, would Okina. They had both wanted her to grow up quietly. 

Aoshi had fought on the opposite side of the Meiji government in the war, but had no biases against them. He had chosen not to give up his fighting lifestyle in the new age, instead taking the remains of the Oniwabanshuu, those who felt as he did, and searching for jobs as fighters. It was a poor substitute, perhaps, but they'd been content. Okina had stayed behind in Kyoto, claiming that he was too old for such things and wished to retire, but it hadn't lasted for long; the habit of training Oniwabanshuu was too strong in him. Before long he had taken in new members, and they had started working on a way to fit themselves into the new era of peace without losing their skills and values. It was something Aoshi would never have thought of or attempted, and he respected Okina all the more for it. 

But they had both wanted Misao to grow up without ever being in danger. Her parents and grandfather had died during the revolution; she had seen enough trouble in her short life. Okina and Aoshi, as the Okashira's best friend and best student, had both felt they had a duty to raise the granddaughter of the former leader of the Oniwabanshuu well, and make sure she lived a long, contented life. 

So how on earth had they created this spitfire? Even now she was teasing Sanosuke, goading him into having a match with her, claiming that she needed the practice and he needed a beating. She was so open, never hiding anything...laughter and sorrow, anger and confusion- whatever emotion she felt was easy to read in her face, in her entire being. It astonished him; his entire life, he'd been hiding his emotions, protecting them behind more walls than he could count. The idea of not holding anything back was completely foreign to him. 

Watching Misao laugh, Aoshi wondered- not for the first time- if she had ever been afraid of anything. 

Aoshi felt someone watching him, and his eyes flickered away from Misao to the person who now walked at the end of the party. 

Himura Kenshin looked directly at him and smiled, then looked away. Aoshi was not surprised that he had been sighted. It was only a matter of time before Misao noticed herself. She would probably not be happy. 

Aoshi listened, almost amused, as the mock-argument between Misao and Sanosuke gained in strength. He winced as she delivered a particularly strong ephitet, and wondered where on earth she had learned such language. 

_I should have been paying closer attention._

Uncomfortable thought. Uncomfortable situation. All at once, Aoshi was...bewildered. 

_What am I doing here?_

It was too late to wonder that now; Misao was aware of him. She was frowning, her eyes darting glances in his direction as she looked for whoever it was that she sensed watching her. 

Only a few minutes, now... 

*************************************************

Misao fidgeted uncomfortably, certain that someone nearby was watching her, and closely. But try as she might, she couldn't pin down where the sensation was originating from. There was something familiar... something... 

The pieces snapped into place, and she stopped. "Oi, weasel, you'll get behind!" Sano grinned over his shoulder at her and kept going. Slowly, Misao started walking again, now keeping pace with Kenshin, Ayame-chan, and Suzume-chan. Kenshin glanced over at her, obviously sensing the change in her emotions; inwardly she was fuming. 

_It _must_ be him! It must be! How dare he? What in the hell does he think he's doing here? Did he follow me?_

Her hyper-aware senses noticed Kenshin's eyes lock on something off to the side, and the odd half-smile he wore. Her own eyes narrowed as her suspicions were confirmed, and she tugged on his sleeve, refusing to look in the same direction he had and see for herself. "How long has he been there?" 

He smiled sheepishly and answered, "Only a few minutes, Misao-dono." 

She bit her lip, anger suddenly turning into a dicomfiting mixture of uncertainty and frustration. _I came here to get _away_ from him..._ "You could have said something." 

"I knew you would notice him soon enough. And it doesn't feel as though he means any harm." 

"What on earth are you two talking about?" 

Kaoru had turned and was looking at them curiously. In answer, Misao stopped walking completely and faced the side of the street. At first glance, it was an empty, shadowed alley. But now that she knew what she was looking for..."Come on out, Aoshi-sama. I know you're there." 

One of the shadows seperated itself from the wall and became the tall, silent man Misao had been trying (and failing) to keep herself from thinking about ever since she'd arrived. Everyone except for Kenshin looked amazed; Aoshi himself shrugged slightly. "Konnichiwa." 

Misao could almost feel her eyes popping out her head. "_Konnichiwa?!?_" she repeated, astonished. "Aoshi-sama, what are you _doing_ here?" 

"I had something to attend to." 

"Business?" Inwardly, she was shaking- partly with anger, partly confusion, mostly frustration. _I just wanted to get away for a while...I wanted to not think about him!_

"Among other things, yes." 

He looked as unruffled as ever, as though it were perfectly natural that he would follow her from Kyoto to Tokyo without offering a reason. Damn him. "What other things?" 

He inclined his head towards Kenshin. "I still owe Himura tea." 

Kenshin laughed, easing the tension somewhat. "That's true. Are you staying in town?" 

"Yes. I've made arrangements with an acquaintance of mine." 

"How long will you be here?" 

Aoshi shrugged. "A few days. Perhaps more." 

Kaoru- to Misao's surprise- smiled brightly at him. "When you've finished your business, Shinomori-san, you must come by the dojo for dinner." 

Misao was standing very still, trying not to show how her inner turmoil. _For dinner? Aoshi-sama, here? Oh lord. I hate small talk. What do I say? Aaaaaaaaargh!_

They continued talking, Kenshin and Kaoru and Aoshi, while Misao stood to the side trying desperately to keep her head from spinning. Yahiko was distracted by Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan, who were pointing at Aoshi and giggling madly. _I don't even want to know what nickname they've come up for him..._ she thought absently. 

And Sanosuke stood off to the side, uncharacteristically silent, watching. 

"Misao." 

Her thoughts were broken by the sound of Aoshi saying her name. "Yes?" 

"Could I speak with you alone for a moment?" 

She nodded helplessly, then looked over at Kaoru, almost for permission. Kaoru smiled and took her hand for a minute. "You can find your way back, right Misao-chan?" 

"Uhn." Misao nodded, and smiled back. 

"Good. Then come back soon; remember, you promised to help me cook dinner!" 

Misao's smile grew. She had promised no such thing; that was Kaoru's way of cheering her up, letting her know that she'd be waiting if anything went wrong. Misao appreciated it, and she nodded. 

And they all walked off, bantering amongst themselves. Sano looked over his shoulder at her and grinned, winking slightly; somehow, that cheered her more. 

_It's only Aoshi-sama. Why am I so panicked?_

She turned and looked up at him, wondering what he had to say. As their eyes met, she felt a small shock run down her spine. _Oh yeah... that's why._

Misao swallowed, all at once feeling very young. "Are you...um...angry with me? For leaving?" 

He looked surprised. "No. Why should I be?" 

"I couldn't think of any other reason for you being here." 

"I told you; I have business here." 

She was still suspicious. "What business?" 

"Nothing serious. Okina had a message to send to an ex-member here; I offered to deliver it personally." 

"Why? He could have just mailed it!" _And kept my life much less complicated! If Jiya sent you here to watch over me, I'll kill him!_ "You didn't need to come yourself." 

He cocked his head at her. "I still owe Himura tea." 

Misao gave up. _He's impossible._ "So, um, what'd you want to talk to me about then?" 

He was silent for a long time, and when he did speak, his words were a complete surprise. "The others..." he broke off, seeing her dumbfounded expression. "Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijou, Hyotoko...their graves are not far from the city. I thought...you might want to see them." 

Misao felt her eyes fill with tears suddenly. _I hadn't even thought of that..._ All her worries about Aoshi were suddenly forgotten, replaced by sudden grief for the friends they'd both lost. No- not friends, but family. "Y-yes...I would." 

"Tomorrow morning, perhaps? It's about half a day's walk, and it's a bit late to get started today." 

Numbly, she nodded. 

"I'll stop by the dojo for you, then." 

And with that, he left. Just left. 

All she could do was go back to the dojo and wait. 

* * *

sagasu: seeking   
hai: Yes   
konnichiwa: Good day. (actually, a dictionary tells me that this is a common misspelling of "konnichiha"...interesting, I've never seen it spelled that way before)   
-sama: Denotes highest respect; used for a superior (whether someone in a position of authority, or someone in a higher social class). Or, in cheesy anime stories, what you call someone you're _really_ in love with. 

A note on Misao's hair: I used to have hair that went past my waist. (I cut over a foot of it off last December, and it's *still* pretty darn long) I also used to wear it in a braid a lot of the time; you'd be amazed how much of the length of it can be hidden by doing that. Several inches, at least. So it's my estimation that Misao's hair (which falls past her waist normally) would, if loose, end up at around her knees. Whee! I always meant to grow mine that long. Maybe someday I'll try again. (though it does get terribly inconvienent) 

A note on Kaoru and Aoshi: I always got the impression (from both anime and manga) that Kaoru feels sympathy for Aoshi; he's been through a lot. More on this later. 

And finally, a note on why Misao is being so snippy with Aoshi: she's had a solid year of being frustrated by him, and she doesn't like being surprised. (a prereader thought she was out of character, so I thought I'd explain) 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	3. Taibou (Waiting)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter Three: Taibou

  


by Ashfae

* * *

He could still feel her eyes on him, watching as he walked away. A day later, and he could still feel it. Her confusion had been tangible- as though he could reach into the air and wave his hands, and see the ripples caused by the movement. Part of him had wanted to go back and comfort her, as he used to when she was a little girl, before things became complicated. Part of him wanted to be back in Kyoto, far away from this. And a very small part of his mind asked, directly and bluntly, what in the hell he thought he was doing. 

He couldn't answer; he didn't know. He snatched at ideas as they came to him, improvising them into plans and offering them up as though he'd known all along what his intentions were. He didn't; in truth, he had not even thought of Hannya and the others when he started trailing Misao from Kyoto to Tokyo. But the desire to show her where they were buried was real; she had valued them as much as he had, in her different ways. He owed her that much, after having been gone for so long without any word. 

Surely that was all he wanted...to make up, at least partially, for the hurt he'd caused her by his absense. His absense, and theirs. Telling her a bit more of the story of what had happened to them was the least she deserved. They'd mattered just as much to her as to him. 

Surely that was all he wanted...he shook off the thought. It wasn't important. He would show her where their friends were buried, and that would be enough. 

But he could still feel her eyes on him, watching as he walked away. 

*************************************************

Misao hated waiting. 

She always had. Whether it was waiting for her birthday to arrive, or waiting for breakfast to be ready, or waiting for someone to have enough free time to spar with her...she couldn't stand it. Whatever it was she was waiting for, she wanted it _now_. 

And never had she hated waiting more than she hated it now. 

_Stupid Aoshi-sama._

Her nose wrinkled. No one had questioned her when she'd gotten back to the dojo yesterday, not even Kaoru-san. Maybe she'd succeeded in hiding how confused she was. The day had continued as if nothing had happened, the tumultously happy air of things not in the least shaken by the odd meeting. It'd cheered her a great deal, and she'd resumed bickering with Sanosuke with a good heart. It hadn't been hard to set aside her worries and feel, once more, like she was on vacation. 

This morning it was much harder. Everything was so quiet...she'd woken up tense with anticipation, and things had just gone downhill from there. After breakfast everyone had wandered off to do things. Kenshin was doing laundry with Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan; Misao sometimes wondered if he got things dirty on purpose, in order to play with the kids under the guise of doing work. They certainly were having fun blowing soap bubbles at each other. Yahiko and Kaoru were in the dojo, sparring. 

Misao herself had washed the dishes and then flopped down on the porch, giving herself up to brooding. 

It wasn't that she didn't want to see Aoshi-sama. And she definitely wanted to see where Hannya and the others...where...well. Aoshi-sama had never been willing to talk about what had happened to them; the only reason the Oniwabanshuu knew what had become of their missing members was because of Himura. Misao desperately wanted to know Aoshi-sama's side of the story. Not just because it was Aoshi-sama, but because they'd been her family...she missed them every day. Himura meant well, but she wanted to hear the story from Aoshi-sama, because he'd _known_ them. 

But at the same time part of her hoped that he'd never show up, that he'd stay far away and she wouldn't have to think about what she wanted from him, what she should or shouldn't do. 

It wasn't that she didn't want to see him...just that she wished she knew how she felt about it. She was so confused. She wanted to hate him, wanted to be angry or indifferent...wanted to tell him to go away...wanted him to stay...couldn't help being glad to see him, couldn't help... 

Misao closed her eyes. _Stupid Aoshi-sama!_

Something- an acorn?- bounced off her head; she mewed in discontent and scowled up at the shadow that was suddenly looming over her. 

Sano grinned. "Some onmitsu you are." 

Misao stuck out her tongue. "I knew you were there all the time," she lied. 

"Sure you did. I see you're back to your usual weasel-girl outfit; too bad. Next time we play dice I'll get you to dress like a real girl for a week instead of just a day." 

"Next time we play dice, you'll lose." The retort was automatic; there wasn't any real heart in it. For some reason Misao didn't feel up to playing games with Sano today. Not while she was trapped here waiting for stupid Aoshi-sama to show up... 

"Well, as long as you're dressed for it, wanna spar?" 

Misao blinked and looked back up at him. He was still grinning, but seemed sincere enough. "Huh?" 

"You know, sparring? One of us punches or kicks and the other dodges? Those ninjas _did_ teach you how to fight, didn't they?" 

"Don't be an idiot, rooster. I could beat you up any day." 

"Prove it." 

"Fine!" 

She leapt to her feet and threw a punch directly at his chest. She was annoyed and emotionally off-balance enough that more weight was put behind it than she intended; if it hit, it would probably hurt him. Not that it mattered; he dodged easily, and attacked her side. 

Not with the punch she expected. Instead he started tickling her, evading her attempts to block without any difficulty. However much she tried to squirm away, she couldn't escape. "AAAAAAHHH!!!! B-baka...!" she laughed helplessly, trying and failing evade him. "Stop that!" 

"No way!" he grunted. "Not until you promise to stop being gloomy and go back to the weasel girl I like!" 

"Augh! Anything! I promise! Just stop TICKling me!" To her mortification, Misao's voice rose up to a squeak of helpless giggles. It seemed to do the trick. Sano stopped and took a step back, smirking at her while she tried to catch her breath. 

She glared up at him, the beginnings of a smile touching the corners of her mouth despite herself. "That...*puff*...wasn't...fair!" 

He shrugged, grinning down at her. 

"Tickling does NOT count as sparring!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him. 

"True enough. Shall we try again?" She eyed him with suspicion, and and held up his hands. "I promise, for real this time. No tickling." 

"Good, 'cause if you try that again, I'll beat you to a bloody pulp." She stood and walked over to the center of the yard, holding up her hands in preparation. 

He just waited, watching her. 

Misao's eyes narrowed in concentration. _I haven't worked out since I left Kyoto, and Sano's good...what to do..._

She aimed an experimental punch towards his shoulder; he used one arm to block and push her punch off to the side, away from him, and countered with the other. She blocked that, and soon they were at it in full, trading blow after blow that never quite hit. 

It was like some sort of intricate dance...Misao could feel the pattern that was formed by their motions. If she did this, then he would have to respond with this, leaving her an opening for this...it wasn't quite predictable; every so often one of them would catch the other off guard with something unexpected. 

She recognized that he was being kind, fighting at her level instead of his...but somehow she didn't mind. What would have been patronizing from Aoshi or Okina didn't bother her coming from Sano. She even appreciated it, knowing that the real goal of this exercise was not to increase her skills, but to calm her mind. Deep down she knew this; on the surface she didn't need to know, concentrating only on the motions of her arms and legs as she twisted in and out of reach. 

She was so engulfed in the rhythm of it that it took her several minutes to realize that someone was watching. 

_...Aoshi-sama...?_

That broke her concentration. Before Sano had a chance to break through her defenses entirely, she performed a spontaneous backflip away from him, looking over to the side as she twisted in mid-air. She could see a blur of off-white with dark hair, and knew her guess had been right. 

When she landed she was looking directly at him, and he at her. His face was calm, as impassive as ever. Misao had to resist the urge to blush, wondering what he was thinking. 

Hastily dragging her gaze away, she turned back to Sano and bowed slightly. "Thanks for the match, rooster." 

He grinned and walked over, bending down quickly to whisper in her ear. "Don't let him get to ya, weasel girl." He stood up and winked into her surprised face, and headed back towards the dojo. 

She giggled, watching as he walked off, hands in his pockets, whistling. For some reason, she felt much better. 

_Thank you, Sanosuke._

She cocked her head at Aoshi, who had continued to stand by the gate, watching. "Shall we go?" 

He nodded once, and they left. 

***********************

They traveled for several hours, moving out of the city and up into the mountains. Not a word was spoken between them in all that time. Misao found that she had nothing to say; her mind was oddly calm, still focused on her body's movement as her legs stretched to walk up hills, around trees. More and more trees appeared, until they were in the depths of a forest. 

Aoshi paused for a moment, looking around, and Misao took advantage of the break to close her eyes and let her head fall back, feeling the sunshine on her face. _This was the best part of traveling on my own, before,_ she thought, remembering the time she'd spent on her own, looking for Aoshi and the others. The sun was warm on her face, and she smiled slightly. 

"This way," a quiet voice said next to her. She opened her eyes and nodded, following. 

Only a few minutes after that, they were there. Misao swallowed over the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat as her eyes glanced over the scene. 

It was a beautiful spot...a small clearing in the trees, the occassional wildflower darting up from the ground. In the clearing were four mounds of dirt. 

_Hannya...Beshimi...Shikijou...Hyotoko._

Her eyes stinging with tears, she stepped forward and knelt down in front of them, staring. Memories overwhelmed her; Shikijou lifting her high into the air, carrying her on his shoulder...Beshimi leaving small rocks in her bed as a prank, and the way she'd retaliated by stealing all of his rasenbyou...begging and begging Hyotoko to breathe fire into the air for her, clapping her hands in delight when he did... 

Hannya, endlessly kind, endlessly patient, teaching her about kempo, and about not judging how good or evil a person is by the way they look... 

She closed her eyes once more, briefly. _I'll always miss you._ "Aoshi-sama...what happened to them?" 

He was standing off to the side, leaning against a tree. It took a long time for him to respond; when he did, the words sounded forced. "I failed them." 

Her breath caught. "What?" 

His eyes were fixed to the graves, and his voice was low and halting. "We had been working for Kanryuu for months...protecting him, acting as his spies. He had no honour, but I owed him a debt, and they wouldn't leave me. I hadn't realized his full intentions, that he had more in mind than petty opium dealing...debt or no, I wouldn't have stayed if I had. There was a point...he insulted them, and I reminded him that it was I who led the Oniwabanshuu, that his orders meant nothing to them. They stayed only because of me." 

He paused for a long minute before continuing, his voice even more quiet than before; she had to listen very carefully to hear him. "He decided that we had become expendable, that it would be easy to kill us along with the Battousai. He had a gatling gun. I had just been beaten by Himura; I could barely move. He fired the gun towards me. I expected to die. But Shikijou was there; the bullets hit him directly in the back, and he fell. Right in front of me." 

Tears were running freely down Misao's face now, seeing it in her mind. She let them fall. 

"Hyotoko and Beshimi pulled that trick of theirs, where Beshimi hid on the other's back and surprised the enemy. They both were shot. Hannya ran across the room to distract Kanryuu long enough for Himura to pick up his sword. He was cut down. All of them dead, and I couldn't move. I could do _nothing!_" 

The pain was there in his voice now, raw and undiminished, even though more than a year had passed since the events he was relating. More than anything, Misao wanted to throw her arms around him, to comfort him, any way she could. 

But she knew he would never allow it. It was hard enough for him to let her see his pain; her pity would be more than he could stand. All she could do was sit there, crying the tears that he couldn't and aching. 

"I brought them here and buried them, digging their graves with my hands and the hilt of my kodachi. I swore that I would kill the Battousai, so that the Oniwabanshuu would be known as the strongest... so that they would be remembered. They died because of me." 

"No," Misao cried out, her voice breaking. "Aoshi-sama, no..." 

He closed his eyes, closed his ears, even as she watched. He couldn't hear her, and she couldn't comfort him. There was nothing to say. 

She bowed her head, letting herself mourn. She had never truly done so before; the shock of learning about their deaths had been followed so closely by Aoshi's fight with Okina that all that had remained was a shock too great to allow for mourning. 

Now, now she could mourn...for their deaths, for Aoshi's pain, for the lonliness she felt because of both... 

Minutes or hours later, when she looked up, she realized that the light through the trees was different. _Sunset...we must have been here for a long time. _

It's too late to start back now; we might as well stay in the woods overnight. It's not like we haven't done that before. 

"Ne, Aoshi-sama..." she started quietly. "It's getting dark. We should probably stay here." 

He looked up, the pain in his eyes muted and replaced by a slight amusement. "Here?" 

Misao almost smiled herself, seeing his point. _How many people would willingly sleep next to a grave?_ "I'd rather be here," she said softly. 

He nodded, but didn't move. 

Misao scrubbed her face clean of the remains of her tears and stood. _All right, then._ She spent several minutes gathering firewood; eventually, Aoshi joined her. 

Not long after that there was a fire burning, just in time to warn off the slight chill that was tinging the air as the sun set fully. Misao had rummaged through the pack she had brought with her and found a few potatoes- she'd meant for them to be lunch, but somehow they had both forgotten about that, and now she was ravenous. The potatoes were buried in the fire, where they cooked and then were dragged back out with a stick, or with fingers that became slightly burned. Misao let out a small yelp, tossing the potato back and forth between her hands until it had cooled down enough for her to eat. 

The silence stretched out as the stars rose, the two of them sitting only a few feet apart, watching the fire burn. 

Misao nearly jumped out of her skin when Aoshi spoke to her; usually, it was her self-appointed duty to break such silences. The words he said were only slightly more surprising than the fact that he spoke at all. "Why are you still an onmitsu, Misao?" 

The question seemed completely random. "What do you mean?" 

"You know what I mean, Misao. It was obvious that you enjoyed yourself yesterday, acting like any other girl. Why didn't you take up a normal life when this age began, like so many of the others? Why did you study to be a ninja? Why do you still?" 

She was silent for a long time, considering the question. Without really thinking about it, wanting something to be doing with her hands so that she could think more clearly, she pulled out one of her throwing-knives and began tossing it into the air, catching it and tossing it over and over with her right hand. It glittered mesmerizingly. Its light was clear and cold as it reflected the fire... but the knife much warmer than Aoshi's eyes, and much easier to look at. 

"Grandfather was Okashira," she said finally. She caught the kunai and clutched its small handle carefully, watching it gleam. "I was very young when he died, but I remember him and his pride. When I was a kid, I idolized you- the youngest person ever to be chosen as Okashira. Even then, I could see how all members of the Oniwabanshuu respected you. My closest friend was Hannya, who taught me to use these kunai so long ago that I can't remember a time when they weren't as familiar to me as my hands themselves." She carefully put the kunai back in its holder. "After my parents died I was raised by Okina, who was practically the leader of the Oniwabanshuu himself after you left, and who decided not to let its remainders fade away entirely. He made a place for us in this new age." 

She glanced at him, but looked away quickly. "My entire life I have been ninja, surrounded by other ninja. There is nothing else I know, nothing else I could do. I can't think of anything else that I'd ever want to do. This is my life." Her eyes hardened. "And I'm _never_ giving it up. Not ever. Not if Jiya asks, not if _you_ ask, Aoshi-sama, not even if it means my death. I'd rather die than lose this." 

Aoshi said nothing, but Misao could feel him watching her. Part of her wanted to break the silence, which was quickly growing uneasy, but she could think of nothing more to say after having put into words what she had always known but never consciously thought about. She waited. 

When he did speak, his words were again not what she expected. "Why do you call me that?" 

"Huh?" she looked over at him, but- as usual- could read nothing in his expression. 

"Aoshi-sama. As though I'm still your superior." 

There was a pause as, confused, she tried to come up with an answer. "Well, aren't you?" she said finally. 

"I forfeited my title as Okashira when I willingly turned to evil in order to gain a chance to defeat Himura Battousai. I betrayed the Oniwabanshuu utterly when I fought and nearly killed Okina. I followed the coward's way into treachery to avoid my own shame and grief, my failure to protect Hannya, Beshimi, Hyotoko, Shikijou. I have sacrificed all my honor, for nothing." His eyes were very serious, but no longer cold. "In what way am I superior to you?" 

Misao felt tears spring to her eyes suddenly. She floundered for words, trying to find some way to make him understand how she felt. "Aoshi-sama..." she started, faltering as she saw something- anger? annoyance?- flash through his eyes. She took a deep breath. "Aoshi-sama. After the revolution ended, you were offered government jobs of all sorts, from bodyguard to administrator to policeman. You turned them all down because none of the other Oniwabanshuu were made similar offers. Because you were leader, and you would never abandon those who followed you. We all knew that. Hannya and the others were willing to die for you because of that." 

She could see him beginning to frown, and continued before he could interrupt. "I...I know you made some mistakes, and did a lot of wrong things. But, the person we all respected so much is still there, inside you. If you deny that, then Hannya and Shikijou, Beshimi and Hyotoko...you're saying they died for nothing, and you know them better than that. I don't think you're hopeless, Aoshi-sama. I don't think you have no honor. Maybe you have too much." A few tears were falling, and she hastily wiped them away, turning her face away from him so that he wouldn't notice. 

He was all at once beside her, turning her cheek back towards him and looking at her intently. Lightly, his thumb brushed along her skin, following the tracks of her tears. "Even now?" he murmured. "Even now, you think so highly of me?" She nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from his, not sure if she even wanted to. "Misao..." 

Misao had never been so aware of _anything_ as she was now, of his presence, his thumb lightly caressing her cheek. She was afraid to move, lest the moment disappear. She'd never felt so close to him before. Not just physically; she felt as though she were finally, _finally_ beginning to understand him, and that made up for everything else. He was so nearby...slowly, she reached up and lightly touched his hand with her own. 

She drew in her breath sharply with disappointment and hurt when he jerked away as though she'd burned him. He turned his back on her and walked away. "It's late. We should sleep now, if we want to make an early start in the morning." 

The tears came back immediately, and squeezed her eyes shut to keep them from overwhelming her. "Why do you always pull away from me?" she whispered helplessly, while getting to her feet. 

She could almost feel his attention snap back to her. "What?" 

Her eyes flew open and she glared at him angrily. "Why do you always pull away from me?!?" she shouted. "If you care about me, why do you deny it? And if you don't care about me, then why in the _hell_ did you follow me here?!!" She was shaking with fury now, screaming, the tears pouring down her face and she didn't _care_..."You never give me _any_ options, you won't let me let you go, you won't leave me alone but you never give me any encouragement at all, I can't tell if you like me or think I'm a nuisance, I...I can't..." Her voice choked on a sob. "Damn you!" 

She turned and stormed off into the woods, scrubbing the tears from her face as she went and pushing branches and bushes aside blindly. Aoshi watched her go, his expression stunned. One hand reached out as though calling her back, then fell limply to his side. 

* * *

taibou: expectant waiting 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	4. Kinchou (Tension)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter Four: Kinchou

  


by Ashfae

* * *

_Damn you, Aoshi-sama!_

Unconsciously she repeated the phrase, the rhythm of it pounding in time with her footsteps..._Damn you!_

She was weaving between trees, occassionally pushing branches out of the way. One of them slipped out of her grasp and smacked her in the face, hard; in dazed surprise she sank to her knees, sobbing. 

There was too much. Grief for her lost friends, her inability to do anything about Aoshi's own pain, her frustration with...with whatever her relationship to Aoshi was. Or wasn't. 

Misao gave up trying to be cheerful about it, and let herself cry. 

Not for long; she was very aware of the fact that it was dark, and she was in an unfamiliar place. She was also aware of the fact that Aoshi might try to follow her. True, if he did come after her there was little she'd be able to do to evade him, but she didn't want to see him. She'd yell at him, or worse, start crying again... 

_Not in front of Aoshi-sama. Not for this!_

Determination gave her strength, and she got back to her feet, glancing up towards the stars that peeked down at her between the treetops. _I'm heading in the right direction, at least. I could just go back to the dojo._ She half-smiled. _Sure, it'll take me all night, but I'd rather be there. I know I can find it. It's been a while since I camped out alone in the woods, and I'm not in the mood. Not really prepared for it, either. _

Better to go back. 

A small thought twinged in the back of her mind: Aoshi-sama would worry about her. She brushed it off. _Let him. I don't care. Let him do whatever he wants. He never consults me, why should I care if he worries? He's an idiot anyway. _

And so am I. 

Her eyes closed briefly, in pain. But she opened them, her gaze firm and resolute, and set off back in the direction of Tokyo. 

*************************************************

It was afternoon of the next day before Aoshi returned to Tokyo. 

Misao had left, and he'd been unable to follow her. He didn't have the right- not to comfort her, not to apologize, not to follow... no right to have anything to do with her. 

He'd sat staring into the fire until finally the light in it had died, forcing himself not to be concerned about the fact that she'd run off into the night, and trying to make sense of all the thoughts that filled his brain. His telling her about what had happened to their friends. Her opinion of herself as a ninja. Her reasons for calling him Aoshi-sama. 

Her feelings for him, the accusations he couldn't deny, her leaving... 

Her feelings...he'd never let himself examine them too closely. She'd admired him since she was just a child, for years...it began long ago, in a time when- perhaps- he might even have deserved such admiration. He had not thought much about it, thinking they would dissapate as time passed. 

But here they were, now, and she was no longer a child, and he no longer deserved anything from her... 

Yet she still cared about him. Or perhaps had, until last night. 

_I have no right to ask anything of her...nothing._

What was he doing here, far from Kyoto? Why had he followed her, interfering in her life and playing with her emotions? What right did he have to be here? 

But here he was, entering Tokyo, and heading straight for the Kamiya Dojo- the only place he could think of to look for her. 

_I just need to know that she came back...that she's all right. That's all. After that, I'll go, and I won't interfere with her anymore. She can hate me if she wishes, as long as she's safe..._

He couldn't follow her last night, but he was following her now... _Always a step behind..._

He could hear laughter ahead of him, squeals and shouting voices; he recognized the voices of the two girls he had seen with the group before- probably neighbors- and the voice of the boy, and the voice of the woman. Yahiko, Kamiya. They were arguing, but not seriously; when they were in Kyoto before, long ago, he'd seen enough of them to get the impression that arguing was something they did often. 

_But where is..._

The trees parted ahead of him; he had a full view of the back yard of the dojo now, but held back so that he wouldn't be seen. Kamiya had just hit the boy on the head with a bokken and was chasing him around the yard; the two little girls with clapping and cheering her on. Himura was nowhere to be seen. On the porch, the gangster Sagara sat, playing cards with... 

Aoshi's eyes widened... 

_...Misao?_

Misao threw her hands up in the air. "Oh NO!!!!!" she cried out. "Not AGAIN!!!" 

Sagara was laughing, pointing a finger at her. "I win, fair and square!" 

"How? How do you keep doing it? You're the worst card player I've ever seen, so _how_ do you keep beating me? This can't be happening!" 

He smirked. "Skill, pretty one. All skill." 

Something inside Aoshi tensed as he heard the former gangster's nickname for her. 

"Sheer dumb luck, you mean." She sighed heavily. "All right, you won. What do I have to do?" 

_She's been _gambling?!!? 

Sagara grinned; Aoshi wanted nothing more than to march up over and punch the man in the face so hard that he'd never be able to open his mouth again, but he was too stunned by the entire turn of events to move. "You know the forfeit, pretty. Maybe two days this time?" 

Misao put her hands over her face. Her response was muffled, so Aoshi couldn't hear it. 

Sagara laughed. "Fine, fine. One day, but you have to come out to dinner with me, too. Fair enough?" 

Misao looked up, glaring daggers at him. "You just like to watch me suffer." 

"You bet." He winked, and she laughed. 

"All right, all right. I'll wear that outfit one more day, and go out to dinner. But you're buying." 

"Says who? I won the bet!" 

She smiled sweetly. "But I used all my money just to get here from Kyoto, rooster-head. I haven't got any money. So if you want to take me out to dinner, you'd best take your newfound luck with cards and go win something to pay for it, ne?" 

"Che. Women." Sagara grinned and stood up, holding out a hand to her. Misao took it and got to her feet. "You're all the same. All right, then- I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I expect to see you wearing that kimono, with your hair done up and everything. And _smiling_, got it?" He squeezed her hand. Aoshi's eyes narrowed. 

She smiled up at him- genuinely, this time. "Deal. Now get out of here before I kick your ass." 

"Hai, hai..." 

Aoshi watched them banter, his mind spinning. What was going on? Since when did Misao _gamble_? 

And since when where she and Sagara so close...? 

_At least this explains why she was wearing a kimono before,_ he thought in a daze. _I was wondering about that..._

"Aoshi-dono." 

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of his name, though no one watching would have guessed that he was at all surprised. Slowly, he turned to find Kenshin watching him, with just a trace of amusement. 

Aoshi bowed his head slightly. "Himura. I was just here to...ah..." _Kami-sama, what do I say?_ Aoshi had never in his life felt so bewildered. 

"Take me up on my offer of tea, I'd imagine," Kenshin interjected smoothly. Aoshi nodded, grateful for the other man's tact. "I just finished making some. Would you care to join me?" 

He wanted to refuse, to get away from all the troubling things that had happened over the past morning and night. But if nothing else, he owed Misao an apology...he couldn't leave before that. Additionally, it would be worse than impolite to refuse Himura's request, after all the man had done for him. 

And all he'd done for Misao. 

Aoshi nodded. "I'd be honored." 

Kenshin smiled, and turned towards the dojo. After a moment's hesitation, Aoshi followed. 

There was a brief moment of silence as the two of them entered the yard. He refused to look at Misao, not wanting to know her reaction... frustration, resentment, confusion...at least he could give her a minute to regain her composure. 

Thankfully, before the silence became uncomfortable, Kaoru walked forward, bowing her head slightly towards him. "Konnichiwa, Shinomori-san. Are you here to have tea with Kenshin?" 

Aoshi nodded, inclining his head in return. "I hope you don't mind this intrusion..." Strange...it was a long time since he had needed to use such polite words. In Kyoto he tended to stay at the Aoiya, or in the temple, in places where words were rarely necessary at all. 

Kaoru quickly shook her head. "No, not at all. You'll have to pardon all the noise, though." She grinned ruefully. "Things tend to get a bit wild here in the afternoon." 

One of the two young girls chirped up at that point. "Wild! Wild!" She looked tremendously happy at being able to repeat the word, and before long she and the other girl were running around shouting it. "Wild! Wild!" 

Kaoru blushed slightly. "Please excuse them, and enjoy your visit here, Shinomori-san." She smiled once more, then returned to where Yahiko was waiting behind her. 

With Misao nearby. 

Their eyes met by accident; he hadn't expected her to be there. A quick look of unhappiness flashed across her face, followed by resolve. She looked away. Inwardly, Aoshi winced, swearing to apologize to her as soon as the first opporunity presented itself. 

"Aoshi-dono?" 

Aoshi forced himself to look away from her and back towards Kenshin. The smaller man was standing on the porch, gesturing him inside. Aoshi didn't move. Kenshin looked at him quizzically. 

"Let us stay outside," Aoshi said, by way of explanation. "It is a beautiful day." 

Kenshin looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled. To his credit, there was no hint of _I know why you really want to stay outside_ in the smile, but some part of Aoshi was annoyed anyway. "So it is." 

They sat quietly, sipping tea and watching Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan run about. No part of the yard was safe from them; one moment they were running in circles around Yahiko, the next talking to Misao, the next begging Kaoru to juggle for them. They seemed tireless. 

_I wonder if I ever had that much energy..._

A sudden image pierced his thoughts- Misao, four years old, climbing up trees at every possible opportunity and then forgetting how to climb back down, so that someone- usually him- would have to climb up and fetch her. 

Aoshi's thoughts were broken by a discreet cough from his companion. "Forgive this unworthy one's interference," Kenshin began, "but has something happened between you and Misao-dono?" 

Aoshi raised an eyebrow eloquently, and did not answer. Kenshin was undeterred. "I know it's none of my business," he said. "But I'm worried about her. She seems to have something on her mind, but refuses to speak about it to me, or even to Kaoru-dono. Whenever she thinks no one's watching, her eyes are sad, and she's been avoiding you. Before, she spoke of you often, with both affection and respect. I have to wonder what caused this change." 

No one else was near them; they were sitting in a bubble of relative solitude. Nonetheless, Aoshi's eyes glanced towards Misao. She was sitting on the grass near Kaoru, polishing her kunai with a forceful expression. There was a long moment of silence as he debated whether or not to answer the question. Some whim decided that he should. "Her feelings for me are...troubling. Also misplaced." 

"Do you really think Misao-dono cares about that?" Kenshin responded. "She forgave you your attack on Okina as soon as I told her that if you had truly wished him dead, he would have been." 

He shrugged. "It's a child's infatuation. It will fade away if I don't encourage her." 

"You underestimate her." Kenshin was looking at him very seriously. 

Aoshi let his eyes meet with his former enemy's. "Before you give me advice, Himura, perhaps you should pay attention to those whom you yourself underestimate." 

"Oro?" The swordsman looked puzzled. Aoshi looked significantly towards the place where Kaoru sat playing with the two little girls. Kenshin followed his gaze, and- to Aoshi's amusement- blushed slightly. "Ah. Well, maybe so." 

Aoshi glanced back at the rurouni. _Perhaps we have more in common than I'd realized._ The thought was intriguing. 

They sipped their tea, watching the children play. 

*************************************************

Kaoru juggled four balls easily, chanting a little rhyme as she did so. Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan laughed, saying the chant along with her. Yahiko sat on the grass and watched with a smile on his face, and even Kenshin was watching from the porch where he sat with Aoshi. It warmed Misao's heart to see them all. _They're a family,_ she thought, bemused. _Just like all of us at the Aoiya. One person picked up here, and another there, all thrown together into a family. Seperate they'd be lonely, but here...they fit. Himura, too. No wonder Kaoru was so determined to chase him to Kyoto and bring him back with her. He belongs here._

Misao grinned. "Hey, Kaoru-san, that's neat. I used to be able to do that...I haven't tried for a long time, though." _Too damn busy with Oniwabanshuu business..._

"Really?" Kaoru caught three of the balls, but the fourth fell to the ground. She glared at it. "Mou. Anyway, you should try it for us, Misao-chan! Give it a shot!" She held out two of the balls. 

Misao took them cautiously, and started juggling them in one of her hands, tossing them in a circle. She frowned slightly. "No, the weight's too strange. Here..." she dropped the balls to the ground and turned around, picking up several of the kunai she'd been polishing. She pondered them for a minute, then kept two in her hand, and gave four more to Yahiko. The boy stared at her in confusion and she grinned. "Ne, Yahiko, help me out with this, all right? Just toss those to me, one at a time, when I ask you to." 

Yahiko looked at her dubiously, but nodded and stood up, waiting. 

Misao held the two kunai loosely by their blades. _It really has been a while since I've done this. If I'm not careful, I'll cut my fingers off._ Cautiously, she tossed one up into the air. As it was at the height of its arc- about a foot and a half above her hand- the other followed, and then she was tossing them in a circle, just as she had done with the balls. She smiled. "All right, throw one of those to me. Gently." 

With an awed look on his face, Yahiko complied. She caught the hilt easily in her left hand, and changed the arc of the first two kunai so that she was juggling all three, with both of her hands. _I haven't forgotten. I could do this blindfolded._ "Good. Yahiko, another." 

She caught the next kunai as easily as she had the first, and it joined the other three. This continued until she was juggling all six, the blades dancing and shimmering in the air above her hands. Her smile had faded and was replaced by a look of grim determination. Dimly, she was aware that Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan were clapping their hands delightedly and laughing, and that Yahiko and Kaoru were staring at her with awe. 

Realizing that she was gradually losing control of the pattern, she began catching the kunai by the handles. As the last one landed, Yahiko and Kaoru broke into applause. 

"Wow, Misao-chan! I had no idea you were that good!" Kaoru's eyes were shining, and Misao was a bit relieved that she showed no signs of being jealous at having been outdone. 

Over Kaoru's shoulder, Misao saw that Aoshi was standing beside Kenshin on the porch, talking with him absently and staring at her. _What's he looking at?_ she thought crossly. _Never mind, Misao. You don't care, right?_

"Yeah! That was great! Teach me how, Misao, please? I want to be able to do that!" Yahiko tugged on her arm, and she forced her attention back to him and smiled. 

"Sure, Yahiko. But I think it might be better if you start with the balls instead. You can't use a shinai very well with cuts all over your fingers!" 

_I don't care that he's watching. I don't. I don't care what he thinks. _

Yeah, right. 

Misao ignored the lump that appeared in her throat. "Hold the ball in your hand like this, Yahiko..." 

***********************

Several hours and juggling lessons and a walk home with Genzai-sensei and his granddaughters later found Misao on the road back towards the dojo, humming under her breath. 

Really, Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan were just too cute. It was impossible to stay unhappy for too long in their company- and the past few days aside, it wasn't like Misao to stay unhappy anyway. She'd never been one for self-pity; it got on her nerves. Why would anyone voluntarily sit around feeling sorry for themself if they could just get up and do something about it? 

On the other hand, there wasn't much she could do with her own present situation. Aoshi was being an idiot and she was getting tired of dealing with it. She was especially tired of constantly having to second-guess him- trying to discern his motives, his intentions, whatever the hell he was doing. 

Well, no more. If he wanted to come and talk to her about things, fine. But he could do it without her prompting. She wasn't going to help him. Let him be an idiot; _she_ was on vacation! 

She knew all this on a level of consciousness that was just below the surface- something she was aware of but not letting herself actively think about. Because underneath her determination there was a very real level of hurt that she didn't quite want to acknowledge. Also a twinge of guilt for the way she'd left the night before. Not that the things she said hadn't been deserved, but still... 

Nope. Not thinking about that. Happy thoughts. Yahiko dropping balls left and right as he tried (and failed) to learn how to juggle. _Good thing I didn't let him use the kunai...he wouldn't have any hands left!_

She walked along, almost content, and didn't even notice the figure shadowed by the trees off to the side of the road. 

"Misao." 

"Aaaah!" Misao nearly jumped out of her skin. For some reason the thought _But I didn't _mean_ it!_ wailed in her head. She whirled around. "God, Aoshi-sama! You nearly scared me to death!" 

He raised an eyebrow, stepping forward into the half-light of early evening. "You should have known I was here." 

She snorted. "Even if I were ten times the ninja I am, Aoshi-sama, I still probably wouldn't have been able to notice you." The hurt she'd been ignoring had risen quickly to the surface, and it made her edgy. Her confusion at his appearance wasn't helping matters any. _Whenever I think I'm prepared, he catches me by surprise. How in the hell does he _do_ that?_

He shrugged, and there was silence between them for several minutes. Misao formed several sentences in her mind, some of them apologies for her behavior the night before and some of them demands to know exactly what he thought he was doing...but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Eventually she looked away, biting her lip. _Why should I even bother?_ She half-turned, intending to walk away. _What's the use?_

His voice arrested her. "Misao." 

She glanced back at him. His expression was odd, and she couldn't quite place the emotion she saw there. Remorse? 

The possibility of it was enough to make her turn back towards him and wait a bit longer, curious. 

"Misao, I'm...sorry." 

He did sound regretful, and she believed him. But she still wanted to demand, what for? 

_What are you sorry for, Aoshi-sama? For pulling away from me? For following me? For..._

Her heart stopped beating momentarily as she thought of another possibility. 

_...for not being able to love me...?_

The thought made her heart twist. _Even now,_ she thought bitterly. _After all this...I still want him to love me. I still love him._

She swallowed hard, and made the only answer she could. "I'm sorry too, Aoshi-sama." 

_Sorry..._

He looked like he had something else he wanted to say, but she didn't know if she could stand to hear it and started walking towards the dojo once more. 

_He's sorry. That's enough. I don't want to know what for. I just can't take any more of this today. I've been trying so hard to be strong and damn it, I _will_ be strong. I'm not going to break down in front of him. Not again. _

If he's feeling sorry because he has to tell me that he absolutely could never love me, I don't want to know about it. Not right now, not today, please...hasn't he done enough to confuse me already? 

I'm not playing this game today. I just won't. 

And kept walking. 

He didn't follow. 

* * *

kinchou: Tension/mental strain/nervousness konnichiwa: Good day 

A note on juggling. It is possible to juggle six objects at one time, but it's also tricky. You have to spend a lot of time practicing. A friend of mine can do seven; it's really impressive! Realistically, Misao might not have had enough time to teach herself to juggle that many objects at once. But it's possible, and a terribly spiffy mental image, no? 

A note on Kaoru's treatment towards Aoshi. I always felt (especially in the anime) that Kaoru feels kindly towards (or perhaps sorry for) Aoshi, and thus would not find it difficult to be friendly towards him, despite his cold demeanor. Perhaps she is annoyed with him because of the way he's been treating Misao, her friend...but I doubt she would interfere. 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	5. Naifun (Strife)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter Five: Naifun

  


by Ashfae

* * *

Sano whistled brightly, his hands in his pockets. It was a good day. He'd spent the morning flirting with the foxy doctor under the guise of getting his hand checked, and now he was on his way to see Misao. He was fond of Misao, more so than he'd admitted. It pissed him off that Shinomori was playing with her emotions the way he was...but a confrontation would only hurt Misao more, so he hadn't done anything about it. 

Except to try and cheer her up. Usually his attempts to distract her worked, whether it was getting her to dress up in a kimono- _And damn, isn't that a pretty sight?_- or joking with her. It felt like he'd gained a younger sister to replace the one he'd left behind so many years ago... 

"Sagara." 

There was a figure standing in the road ahead of him, though Sano would have been willing to swear that no one had been there a few seconds ago. Inwardly, he smiled; he'd get his confrontation after all. About bloody time. 

Sanosuke cocked his head to the side. "Well, well, if it isn't the icicle of the Oniwabanshuu himself. What a pleasure." 

Shinomori raised an eyebrow; it was almost a threat. 

Sano didn't flinch. "I know you're twice the fighter I am, Shinomori. It don't mean I'm afraid of you." _Especially not while I'd love the chance to try and kick your ass...but Misao would kill me, especially if I tried it just before taking her out to dinner. Even I'm not _that_ dumb about manners._

"Oh?" 

Instead, he smirked. "You won't touch me. If only because you know that Misao would never forgive you if you did, not this time." 

Shinomori's eyes narrowed. "What do you know about Misao?" 

"I like her. She's got spunk. What I don't know is why she puts up with you." 

He could see that the words hit close to home, though Shinomori's only reaction was a slight twitching around the eyes. "You should stay away from her." 

Sanosuke smirked. "Jealous?" 

Shinomori didn't answer. 

"Yare yare," the gangster shrugged. "Not like it's any of your business anyway, right? All you've done since you got out here is make her feel unwanted. 'Bout time she had someone around who appreciates her." 

Oh, that one _really_ hit home, he could tell. Shinomori's entire face tightened, and he took a few steps forward, one hand clenched at his side. Sano didn't flinch or retreat, or even look away. 

Shinomori's voice was low. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you." 

Sano glared right back. "I'm not the one who's been hurting her." 

Having said that, he walked right on by the other man, continuing towards the Kamiya Dojo. His whistling was brighter than ever. 

*************************************************

Aoshi stood in the middle of the road in a daze. 

_I'm not the one who's been hurting her._

It was true. All he'd done since he arrived was hurt Misao... confuse her, bring her closer and then push her away again. Why didn't he just leave? He had no more reason to stay. He'd made certain she was all right- indeed, she'd been better off here than she'd been in Kyoto, at least ar first- he'd shown her where their friends were buried, he'd apologized...what was left? 

Why couldn't he leave? 

An image entered his mind: on his first day back in Kyoto, seeing her walk down the street...dressed, for the first time that he could remember, like any other girl. She'd looked so different, dressed that way...so much more mature, so quiet, so unlike the mischevious girl who ran circles around everyone else at the Aoiya...as though she were a stranger, instead of his Misao... 

_...his?_

A image appeared in his mind, unbidden...Misao, her head tilted backwards and her eyes closed. Sunlight spotted her face, filtered through the trees and highlighting a place on her forehead, one of her eyes, part of her mouth... 

He shook his head slightly. 

_I don't own her. She can do whatever she wants- lead the Oniwabanshuu, quit and be like any other girl, whatever she wants. I have no right to interfere with anything she does._

But the image of her in a kimono, looking so completely unlike the girl he thought he knew, troubled him...what if she _did_ leave the Oniwabanshuu? What if she stayed in Tokyo to try and live a normal life? 

True, she had said herself that she would never do that...but she had seemed so happy with Kamiya and the others...with Sagara... 

He cut that thought off before it had a chance to fully form. 

If she ever did leave, the Aoiya would be so empty without her... his own life would be... 

He cut that thought off, too; it took more effort. 

_I have to talk to her._ But she was busy, she had plans for the evening with...Sagara...the idea was bitter in his mind. _I have no right to interfere. I won't. I just want to talk to her..._

_Afterwards, then. When she gets back._

*************************************************

Misao was troubled. 

She'd tried to have a good time, she really did, and sometimes she forgot herself enough to laugh and not think about...things. But throughout the entire evening, in the back of her mind, her head was spinning. 

Thoughts about Aoshi...thoughts about herself...Kaoru's light-hearted teasing about her and Sano...the way other people had been staring at her, as though they couldn't believe such a sweet looking girl was swearing as much as her almost-rude companion, even if it was teasing... 

The end of the matter was that Misao's head hurt from so much thinking. The fact that she was dressed up in a kimono again wasn't helping; it only made her feel more unlike herself. All at once she was longing to be eight years old again...back at home in Kyoto, not caring what anybody thought of her, Aoshi still home and happy..._Where did all that go? When did I grow up?_

"You're not fulfilling your side of the deal, pretty," Sano said, interrupting her brooding. "You forgot about the smiling part." 

She looked ruefully up at him. "Sorry, Sano. I just...I guess I'm just...confused," she finished helplessly. "I don't know." 

"Shinomori?" he asked, not unkindly. 

"Only partly. Mostly it's just...well, who am I, Sano?" 

He looked down at her curiously. "Whaddya mean?" 

She kicked at a pebble in the road. "Don't you think I'm...well, weird?" 

"Nope." 

She hadn't expected that answer. "But- Sano, you _saw_ how all those guys were looking at me! I might look like a proper Japanese girl right now, but I'm now. I gamble with you, I swear, I carry weapons around with me all the time and I know how to use them, I'm happier climbing around on rooftops and sleeping outside than I could ever be settling down and having kids, I-" 

"Whoa, whoa!" Sanosuke stopped walking and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her. "Misao, what brought this on?" 

To her horror, her eyes were filling with tears, She scrubbed them away with one of her sleeves, not able to meet his gaze. 

"Shinomori, then." A bit less kindly. 

For some reason she wanted to defend Aoshi, even if he'd been acting strange lately. "No, not really, Sano, truly. It's just that I've been thinking...I mean, I came here on vacation partly to get away from him, yes, but also because I was feeling...lost." They'd started walking again, slowly. "Technically I'm the leader of the Oniwabanshuu now. Well, only sort of technically; girls aren't supposed to be allowed to lead them at all, and we're supposed to be disbanded, but...after what Aoshi-sana did, before...I just wanted to try and make things right. We were all so shocked that he'd attacked Jiya...I couldn't let everything fall apart, you know? So I said that now I was the leader and they'd all have to follow me. And it _worked!_" Pride welled up in her, hot and furious. "It worked! We were a group again, even though Aoshi-sama was gone and Jiya was wounded. I just didn't think it would last...after he came back, and Jiya recovered, I thought one of them would take charge again and everything would be okay. But it didn't happen like that." 

There silence for a minute. "What did happen?" 

Misao frowned, trying to find words. "Aoshi-sama wouldn't take back the position. Actually, I barely ever even saw him...we didn't talk much. I kept trying to tell myself that he was hurt and confused, but...I wanted him back. Not just as Okashira- he's a good leader, we all still believe that- I wanted him back just as...one of us. But he kept staying away." The tears were welling up again. "I know that he's not the same person he was before he left, I _know_ that...but, we all still care about him, and it's like he doesn't want to let us." 

"So you were in charge. What about Okina?" 

"He said he was too old, but that he was proud of me and thought I could do it. He said he'd help. But, Sano...I had no idea what I was doing. What do I know about being a leader?" She was trying so hard to find the words, to explain how lost and disillusionized she'd been when she left...it helped that he was listening to quietly, letting her flounder. "But finally I just couldn't do it anymore. I'm not ready for that, Sano. I don't know that I ever will be. So I left. I thought that maybe I could come to Tokyo and get away from it all for a while and try to figure out everything." 

They walked in silence for several more minutes, and reached the Kamiya Dojo. It was late; no one else was up, not even Kenshin, and the house was dark. Without saying a word they both walked towards the backyard, not quite willing to let the evening end yet. 

Misao sat in the grass and stared up at the moon, thoroughly depressed and feeling a bit guilty for dumping everything on Sano. She was trying to think of a way to apologize to him when he asked her something. "Why do'y think you're weird again? 

She looked over at him, amazed. "Sano, I gamble, I fight, I dress like a ninja-" 

"You are a ninja," he interrupted, smiling. 

"Well, yeah, exactly! What kind of girl _am_ I, Sano?" She kicked at the ground moodily, wishing she had her own shoes instead of geta. "Even when I'm dressed like a girl, I don't act like one. No wonder Aoshi-sama's not interested in me." She bit her lip, remembering the conversation she'd had with him two nights before. _My entire life I have been ninja, surrounded by other ninja. There is nothing else I know, nothing else I could do...nothing else I'd ever wanted to. And that's true, I can't change that. I wouldn't if I could. But...who's gonna ever want a ninja weasel-girl like me?_ She sighed. 

"You so sure he wants a normal girl?" 

She blinked. "Well, shouldn't he?" 

Sano shrugged. "Maybe; maybe not. But you're being too hard on yourself, weasel. Who knows what that icicle is thinking?" 

"But there's something I never told anyone else, Sano," Misao said quietly. "When I saw the end of the fight between him and Jiya, that time...he told me to go, and to never show my face to him again." She bit her lip. "He doesn't need me, Sano. He won't even talk to me. I don't know why he came from Kyoto to Tokyo, but I _know_ it can't have been because of me." 

"Did you know that he confronted me on my way over here earlier and told me that if I hurt you in any way, he'd rip my heart out of my chest?" 

Misao was stunned beyond measure. Sano's eyes twinkled at her. "Look, weasel-girl, I know that you're not sure how you feel about him. But he's definitely got feelings for you. I dunno what's going through his head- probably feels guilty about stuff he's done in the past." The ex-gangster shook his head in disgust. "Him and Kenshin, geez. Anyway, if he asks you for a chance, maybe you should try and give it to him. That's not so hard, is it?" 

_I hadn't even thought about that..._ she thought absently. _I hadn't even thought that maybe he felt so guilty about what he did to me that he couldn't face me. Maybe that's it. It'd be just like him, the idiot!_ The realization of it was so great that she almost couldn't breathe. _Is it possible? Could it really be possible?_

_No, it can't be, it just couldn't be..._

But in her mind it was so easy to see it...the way Aoshi had been when he showed the graves of their four friends, the pain, grief, and shame he had felt...the way he hadn't let her near it. What was he afraid of? 

_Oh, Aoshi-sama...don't you see? You don't have to prove anything to me. You never did..._

Sano stood up, dusting off his pants. "Che. Probably get grass stains all over these." 

Her attention snapped back to him; the retort was automatic. "That's what you get for going around in white, rooster." She grinned. "Maybe you can ask Megumi-sensei to clean them for you." 

He raised an eyebrow at the suggestive note in her voice. "You're dreaming, weasel. It's time I left, though. You've got a lot to think about." 

She nodded, slowly, then got to her feet. Before he had a chance to protest she had launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him. "Hey, Sano...thanks." 

He hugged her back. "No problem, pretty. Just keeping smiling and we'll call it even, okay?" 

She nodded. "Uhn!" 

"Sweet dreams, weasel-girl." Sano kissed her easily on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and walked away, his hands thrust into his pockets, whistling. 

Misao blushed slightly, but grinned after him. _That baka,_ she thought. _He insults me one minute and is nice to me the next. I guess it's his way of showing that he cares, though. He teases Kaoru and Yahiko all the time, not to mention Megumi..._

Misao smiled a bit sadly at that thought. She liked Sanosuke very much. He was fun to tease- and very cute, she had to admit. Under other circumstances...perhaps something might have happened. But she had seen the way he looked at Megumi whenever he thought no one was watching him, and could guess where his feelings really were. Just as he knew where hers were. So the game between them was just that: a game, and not something that would go further. Whatever Kaoru thought. 

She didn't mind, though. It was nice to have someone to play such games with, and Sano was already one of the best friends she'd ever had. He was rough and rude, but then, so was she. And every so often, he would say something so observant that she'd be completely surprised. There was much more to him than he usually let on; Megumi would be a lucky woman, if they ever stopped being idiots and let each other know how they felt. 

_Like you and Aoshi-sama?_

Her smile faded. With a start, she shook off the sudden feeling of melancholy. _I refuse to worry about it any more tonight. It's been too nice an evening to spoil by fretting about that idiot any more than I already have._ Her good mood had returned in full, and she relished it. She opened the door to the little shed where she'd been sleeping and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. 

She was just reaching up to pull the ribbon from her hair when she noticed the extra shadow leaning against the wall. She stared at it incredulously. "Aoshi-sama?" she asked, astonished. 

The shadow moved into the moonlight. "Misao," he said simply. 

"What are you doing here?" Misao demanded, covering up her confusion with annoyance. _What the hell does he think he's doing now?_

"Waiting for you." 

"Why?" 

"I wanted to talk to you." 

"So talk." Misao knew she wasn't being very encouraging, but she was _very_ tired of having to force answers out of him. Whenever they had any sort of conversation, she did all the work. This time, if he wanted to tell her something, he could do it without her help! She crossed her arms over her chest and waited, meeting his gaze without fear. _Maybe Sano's right, maybe he just doesn't know what to say to me. But I can't help him if he doesn't give me any clues at all about what he wants. It's his move._

He was quiet for a few more minutes, watching her with a very strange expression in his eyes. _He's never looked at me like that before. What's he thinking?_

"What is there between you and Sagara Sanosuke?" he asked. 

"What's it to you?" Misao fired back. 

Aoshi's eyes flashed. Quick as lightning, he grabbed her wrist and used it to pull her towards him. Before she could even think of reacting, he had bent his head down and was pressing his lips against hers. 

_Huh?_

He was kissing her. With all the passion she could have wished for, and a possessiveness she had never guessed at. She let out a small moan, grasping the front of his shirt in her hands to pull him closer and parting her lips. His tongue slipped between them and darted at hers. His hands moved up and practically ripped the ribbon from her hair, then buried themselves in her scalp. He kissed her again, and again, and again, as though trying to claim her with his mouth. 

Her head was spinning, and her knees felt as though they wouldn't be able to support her weight for too much longer. With a small gasp she broke off kissing him and ran her lips along his neck and jaw, clinging to the front of his shirt. _I can't believe this is happening..._ Her mouth found an unexpectedly responsive spot just below his ear, and smiled as he caught his breath. She felt him freeze and then shiver as she breathed out slowly on that spot. 

With a low cry he caught her by the waist, crushing her against him. One of his hands held her there as the other began fumbling with her obi, struggling to get it untied. Meanwhile his lips reclaimed hers, kissing her even more hungrily than before. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingernails digging into his upper back and shoulders. 

The obi came undone and fell to the ground, and her kimono opened in front. His hands withdrew and then rewrapped themselves around her bare waist. She flinched, surprised by how cool they felt on her warm skin, and the kimono slipped off of her shoulders a bit. He trailed kisses from her mouth down her neck, and nibbled at the spot where neck met shoulder. She moaned, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back. Aoshi ran his fingers along the curve of one of her breasts as he moved his mouth back towards her ear. "You're _mine_," he whispered between kisses, his voice hoarse. "Mine." 

Inside, Misao was laughing. Now she knew, now she was sure, finally she was sure of him! _Oh no, Aoshi-sama. You've got it backwards. _You_ belong to _me_, and I'm going to make damn sure you don't forget it!_

She pushed down gently on his shoulders and he went to his knees, his mouth sliding from her throat to her breasts. His hands moved up to her shoulders, pushing the kimono over them. It slipped to the ground, leaving Misao wearing absolutely nothing. Annoyed at the inequality between them- how _had_ he managed to get all her clothes off, and none of his own?- she began hauling his shirt over his head. He shrugged out of it, complying with her wishes, and she sank down into his embrace, kissing him again as she ran her hands along his arms and pressed her chest against his. 

She pushed him down onto his back, laying herself on top of him. His hands traced circles fitfully all over her body while she moved her mouth along his skin, taking cues from his breathing and lingering on certain spots. She flicked her tongue over one of his nipples, and that undid him. With a grunt, he rolled over, trapping her beneath him. His weight pressed against her as he joined their mouths together again. One of his hands wrapped itself in her hair, and the other moved between them and traveled slowly down her skin. His fingers reached the top of her thigh, paused- then slipped between. 

Misao gasped as warmth spread through her entire body, focused on that one spot between her legs. All at once she was desperate for breath, overwhelmed by both pleasure and need, and a little pain. Her hands clutched frantically at his shoulders, and a few tears slipped down her face. 

He noticed and paused, his body frozen with tension. "Misao?" 

She ignored the doubt she heard and hauled his mouth back down to hers, kissing him passionately. "Just shut up," she whispered against his lips, moving encouragingly against him and swearing by every god she'd ever heard of that if he pulled away from her this time, she was going to kill him. 

*************************************************

Aoshi stared at the ceiling, his mind curiously blank. He was lying on his back, arms crossed behind his head. There was a blanket loosely covering him. Him- and the girl at his side. 

_What have I done?_

He had always prided himself on his self-control...his ability to make decisions and act on them without letting his emotions get in the way. 

Where had that control gone tonight, when he'd most needed it? 

He rolled over, leaning on his elbow and looking down at the girl who lay sleeping next to him. Misao was curled snugly on her side, with a small smile on her face. Her hair was pooled around her, and Aoshi absently picked up a few long strands and rubbed them between his fingers as he thought. 

_I've betrayed her again,_ he realized with a twinge of grief. _I should never have come here tonight...should never have left the Aoiya at all. I had no idea this would happen, I never meant..._

Misao shifted in her sleep, letting out a small sigh. Aoshi was both startled and touched by how completely at ease she was. Her skin was silvery in the moonlight, her hair shining with blue overtones. All at once he realized how delicate her features were- the pointed nose and chin, the long eyelashes. He'd rarely seen anything so beautiful. 

He brushed Misao's hair lightly against his lips, marveling yet again at how long it was. _Perhaps, I did mean... _

Something will have to be done about this. I can't stand off to the side and pretend that I don't care anymore. I have to decide. 

One way or another. 

* * *

naifun: Internal strife/storm in a teacup. (isn't that a great mental image? Something so turbulant, contained inside something so fragile and commonplace...) 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	6. Kenkon'itteki (To stake all on something...

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


Chapter Six: Kenkon'itteki

  


by Ashfae

* * *

Misao woke slowly, wincing away from the sunlight. She was so warm and comfortable...surely no one would mind if she slept in a little bit...she sighed with contentment, rolling over onto her side and breathing in deeply. Idly, she noticed that the blanket covering her smelled odd...musky. It reminded her of something, and a small part of her brain was curious enough to shake off sleep and try to figure out what that something might be. The rest of her protested, wanting to go back to sleep, until- with a shock- she remembered. 

_Aoshi-sama!_

Her eyes flew open, and she sat up in bed. 

Her glance flickered over the room, taking in all the details. Aoshi was nowhere to be seen; every trace of him had vanished entirely. Her own clothes had been neatly folded beside her mat. If it hadn't been for the smell of him surrounding her- and the fact that she was stark naked- Misao might have been tempted to think she'd dreamed everything. 

Blushing furiously, she pushed aside the blanket and pulled on her clothes. She shivered, all at once remembering very clearly how it'd felt to have Aoshi's hands touching her. _Oh lord, I'm going to have flashbacks all day, I just know it...if anyone asks me what I'm thinking about, I'll probably die!_

Dressed, she looked around more closely, but the simple room only confirmed what she already knew: Aoshi was nowhere to be found. Misao admitted to herself that she was hurt that he'd left before morning...and worried. _What if he regrets it? What if he's changed his mind? Damn him! Why is it always so hard to tell what he's thinking?_ With a sigh, she reached for her sandals. 

Her eyes widened with surprise as she saw the small scrap of parchment resting on her sandals. It was folded in half, with her name written elegantly on the outside in Aoshi's handwriting. Her relief was quickly followed by nervousness. _I'd forgotten how beautiful his calligraphy is..._ she thought wistfully. _Here goes nothing._ She picked up the piece of paper and opened it. 

_I need to speak with you,_ it read. _If you will, meet me beside the graves of the Oniwabanshuu this afternoon. -Aoshi_

Misao pursed her lips, drifting somewhere between curiosity and concern. _This is it,_ she thought grimly. _But, Kami-sama, if he tells me that he's not worthy of me and is leaving so that I can be free to chase after Sanosuke, I'm gonna kick his ass._

_It's already late in the morning. If I want to get there by afternoon, I should leave now. Gomen, Kaoru-san...but you're on your own for breakfast today. I hope Yahiko doesn't tease you too much!_

************************

*puff, puff, whew, puff, puff* 

_Damn it, Aoshi-sama, couldn't you have picked someplace _closer?!! 

Misao trudged through the forest on weary legs, sweaty hair sticking to the back of her neck. She tugged at it angrily. _I should just cut all this off. It's impractical anyway. _

Though Aoshi-sama certainly seemed to enjoy it last night... She smiled somewhat wistfully, remembering. _Maybe I can keep it long. It's not that much trouble. Oh god, I must look like a mess! What in the hell was I thinking...what in the hell is _he_ thinking by asking me to meet him all the way up _here?!?!? 

She paused leaning against a tree to catch her breath. Her eyebrows furrowed with determination. _Screw it. He liked me well enough last night, when I was all dressed up. Let's see if he still likes me now that I'm all sweaty and dressed like the onmitsu I am. _

Though if it was just the kimono he found attractive, I really am _going to kill him! And then I'll kill Sano!_

Scowling, worried, afraid, angry, she broke into the clearing where the graves were. 

He was there. Just standing in the center of the clearing, looking for all the world as if he'd been out for an afternoon walk. Completely unpreturbed. 

Except that Misao's keen eye caught sight of all the pine needles that were disturbed on the ground around him, and she wondered. If she didn't know any better, she would've sworn that he'd been pacing..._Well, maybe he has. Who knows what Aoshi-sama does when no one's watching? _

You do, you idiot, you used to spy on him when you were a kid... 

Shut up, shut up, this is not_ the time to be arguing with myself!_

His voice snapped her back into reality. "You came." 

Misao blinked then she scowled at him. "Of _course_ I came, you idiot! 

He was looking away from her now. "I...wasn't sure if you would." 

The small suspicion she'd had since morning took hold a bit more firmly. _Great. He feels guilty and is leaving, he's not worthy, he doesn't love me...oh hush, Misao, just listen to what he has to say for once. How often has he ever gone out of his way to tell you something? _

But please, god please, don't let him leave me now...not when we're so close...! 

She took a deep breath. "Ano...what did you want to talk about?" 

His voice was very quiet. "You never answered my question, last night." 

Question? Misao pursed her lips, trying to remember... 

_What is there between you and Sagara Sanosuke?_

_What's it to you?_

"You never answered my question, either," she responded. _Well, he sort of did,_ she amended silently. _But I still want to hear him say it now._

The silence stretched out between them, and finally Misao gave up. It wasn't much of a concession, to answer his question, not when the truth was so simple..."Nothing. There isn't anything between Sano and me. We're friends, that's all." 

She could see some of the tension go out of his shoulders, and was relieved. _So, he _was_worried..._ But it wasn't much of a comfort. She still didn't know what he intended to do about her. _Please..._

Quietly, she repeated the question she had asked the night before. "What's it to you?" 

Pause. He took a deep breath. 

"Makimachi Misao," he said, almost whispering. "Will you marry me?" 

*************************************************

The words hung between them in the air; almost he wished he could pull them back, unsay them. Anything to get rid of the tension he felt, waiting for her to answer. _Please..._ The plea floated through his mind unbidden, and he couldn't tell what he was hoping for- a yes, a no, any end to the waiting... 

Minutes passed like hours, and finally he had to force himself to meet her eyes. They were wide and astonished; she was biting her lip, looking very worried. "Why are you asking me?" she asked. 

_Why?_ he thought in surprise. "After last night, you need to ask?" 

Her eyes flashed. "You _bastard!_" she shouted. "You're asking me just because of..._that_, aren't you? Did you think you were forcing me? Do you think you have to...to make it up to me, or something?" She'd rushed towards him and was beating her fists against his chest- not hard enough to hurt, but definitely hard enough to be noticeable. Stunned, he just looked down at her. "I am _not_ at all ashamed of what _we_ did, and if you are, then I'll...I'll skin you and feed you to rats! So if you're asking me to marry you because you think you owe it to me, or because of what happened, or for _any_ reason except that you love me, then..." Her blows weakened; he could see her hands shaking. "Then..." 

The words slipped out before he could stop them, astonishing him just as much as they did her. "But I do love you." 

She froze, clutching the front of his shirt. In a very small voice that tugged at his heart, she whispered, "Really?" 

"Yes." Something in him demanded that he be completely honest, so he continued, slowly. "I can't promise things will be easy...I can't promise anything at all, but I do-" 

With a happy little cry she leapt at him, her weight hitting him soundly in the chest and forcing him to take a step back; he hit a tree, and leaned against it as she wrapped her legs around his waist. 

His arms had wrapped around her automatically, helping to support her against him. Her mouth had ended up right next to his ear, and she whispered "Yes" before grabbing his face between her hands and kissing him. 

He was too stunned to respond at first, intoxicated by the light touch of her lips brushing his, her body wrapped around him. "Yes?" he repeated finally, pulling away a bit to look at her. 

"Yes." She kissed him again, her tongue darting against his lips until, finally, she coaxed his mouth into responding to hers. His arms tightened around her as a wave of heat washed through his body, forcing him to be aware of every facet of their position...one of his hands supporting her behind, the other pressing against her back, her knees tight against his sides, stray tendrils of hair tickling his skin, and all he could think was her...her nose bumped into his; that touch snapped him out of the trance. "Misao, we shouldn't be..." 

"Why not?" she asked against his mouth, her breath mingling with his. He was finding it more and more hard to concentrate. 

"You shouldn't-" 

"I don't care." 

He forced their mouths apart with a gasp that he couldn't quite suppress. "You are making this very difficult," he said, as sternly as he could manage. 

A smile spread slowly across her features, and she let her fingers drift along the curve of his jaw. Her head moved forward until her forehead was pressed against his, their noses just barely touching. "Good." Slowly, tenderly, she kissed him once more. 

*************************************************

They stayed in that position for a while longer, enjoying the peace of the moment. But Misao's knees were becoming tired with the strain of holding her up against him, so reluctantly she disengaged herself and stood in front of him. Thus seperated, she was all at once shy, and blushing _very_ furiously. "So, umm...what now?" she asked. 

Aoshi blinked. "I hadn't actually thought that far ahead." 

Misao couldn't help herself; she started laughing. _Aoshi-sama, not planning ahead? That's probably something I'll never hear him say again...he's glaring at me, I shouldn't laugh at him, but I just can't help it. _

It's about bloody time he got used to being laughed at, anyway. He's far too serious. 

Smiling, she reached out and took his hand. "We'll figure it out." 

He squeezed her fingers. "We should probably start by returning to the Aoiya. I didn't actually tell Okina where I was going; he may be concerned." 

Misao raised an eyebrow. "You really think he couldn't have guessed?" 

Almost he smiled. Almost. She grinned up at him. "But yes, I agree. I think my vacation is about over with anyway. But we have to go back to the dojo first, to say goodbye to everyone. Kaoru would be really pissed if I left without saying goodbye." 

"Of course. I can meet up with you afterwards-" 

"Oh no you don't, Aoshi-sama!" Misao interrupted, stamping her foot on the ground. "You are coming back with me, you _will_ stay and say goodbye with me, and you are _not_ going anyplace without me. At least, not until we're married. Get used to the idea." 

She scowled at him, and this time there really was a small smile on his face. "As you wish. Shall we go, then?" 

Her answering smile was warmer than the sunlight around them. 

************************

Kaoru was holding her, and then Yahiko was roughly bidding her goodbye, doing his best to make it look as though he wasn't going to miss her. Kenshin was smiling at her while chatting with Aoshi, who almost looked content. 

Someone clapped her on the back. "So, weasel girl," Sano's voice boomed from above her. "We're invited to the wedding, right?" 

Misao whirled around and hugged him tight around the waist. "Absolutely, rooster head. I'll whup your ass in Kyoto just as often as I did out here." 

"Suuuuuuuure you will." He grinned. "I haven't shown you half of the tricks I've got up my sleeves." 

She grinned right back. "And I haven't shown you half of the ones I know." _Like all those knives hidden in my clothing...heh._ "I look forward to wiping that smirk off of your face." 

"So do I." He smiled genuinely at her then, and bent down to ask quietly. "You're happy, right?" 

"Yup," she whispered back. "Very. Though I don't think Aoshi-sama's realized exactly what he's gotten himself into yet." 

"He doesn't know how lucky he is. You take care of yourself, pretty, all right? And if anything ever goes wrong, you let me know." 

"I will." She stood up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you later, Sano. You take care of yourself too. And be sure to not let that fox get away from you." 

He jumped, and Misao giggled. He rubbed the back of his head, looking sheepish. "Uh, okay, I'll do that." 

Misao felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and knew immediately whose it was. She reached up and covered it with her own hand, leaning back against the person behind her. 

Sano grinned at Aoshi, without any trace of the challenge that had laid between them the day before. "Congradulations, Shinomori. You've got yourself quite a catch there." 

The response was quiet, and not quite trusting. "Thank you." Misao elbowed him in the ribs; she'd tried her best on the way back to the dojo to convince Aoshi that there really wasn't any need for him to be jealous of Sanosuke. Apparently he still needed convincing. 

Sano shrugged, winked at Misao, and then let out a yelp as Yahiko beaned him in the back of the head with a shinai. Within seconds the two were at it tooth and nail. 

Misao looked around to find Kenshin and Kaoru standing side by side, watching. Smiling, she walked forward, bowing to both of them. "Thank you very much for your hospitality." 

Kaoru grabbed her in another hug. "It was our pleasure, Misao-chan. You're welcome here anytime." The older girl looked up, smiling at the quiet man a few feet away. "You two, Shinomori-san. You're both always welcome here." 

Misao had tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. 

"No problem." Kaoru grinned, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "You can thank me by naming your first child after me." 

Misao felt her ears burning, and could only smile like an idiot. She was doing an awful lot of that today, it seemed. Oh well, it'd probably stop eventually. 

She turned back to Aoshi, and found him watching her intently. The look in his eyes sent shivers down her spine. _Then again, maybe not._

"Are you ready?" he asked. 

She nodded, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "Let's go." 

"'Bye, Misao-chan! Goodbye, Shinomori-san! Come back soon!" Kaoru waved after them. 

"And have a safe and quiet journey!" Kenshin added. 

_Safe? Probably. But quiet?_ Misao grinned to herself, glancing up at the tall man beside her. _Not if I have anything to say about it...several days with no one else around sounds like heaven to me. Aoshi might be determined to wait until we're married, but _I'm_ not!_ Her grin grew even wider. 

The path stretched out before them; side by side, they began the journey home. 

* * *

Kenkon'itteki: To stake all on something 

That's it. There is no more. It's finished. =) 

Well, aside from the spam ending, of course...*wicked gryn* 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



	7. Spam Ending ;)

**Koiji: Love's Pathway**

  


The Ending We Wanted To See

  


by Ashfae

This little piece of spam is dedicated to Sakka-chan, whose Sano-Misao bias has definitely been rubbing off on me. The temptation to turn Koiji into a Sano-Misao fic has been almost overwhelming. Maybe next time. *gryn* 

* * *

"Makimachi Misao," he said, almost whispering. "Will you marry me?" 

"Hell no!" 

Aoshi blinked. "What?" 

Misao tossed her head. "I said hell no. You're a jerk, Aoshi- _sama_. You've spent this entire story playing with my head and making an idiot out of me. Just _look_ at what you did to me in chapter three! Screw you! I'm running off to Alcopulco with Sanosuke- at least _he_ knows how to treat a lady!" She stuck her tongue out at her bewildered former okashira. "And he's better in bed, to boot!" 

Years later, legends had sprung up about the mysterious creature who lived in that forest. It was rumored to be a giant beaver, because the only signs of its passing was the damage done to the trees of the area, as though something had been banging its head against the bark... 

* * *

Sorry. I just couldn't resist. *gryn* 

[ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu][1]

   [1]: mailto:ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu



End file.
